


i think i like a boy

by lvecean



Series: Break Me Down, Build Me Up [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Coming Out, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gay Shiro (Voltron), IN SPACE, M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Realization, Road Trips, They talk, altean alphabet song lmao, i'm bad at tagging don't mind me, lance is an insecure bisexual what else is new, not edited bUT I'LL COME BACK, oh and this is now edited :), oh right, shiro is a confident gay WOW, space roadtrip?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 13:06:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15686019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lvecean/pseuds/lvecean
Summary: “Oh my god, shut up,” Lance was screeching, tears of laughter rolling down his cheeks as he clutched his knees to keep his body from crashing to the moon’s mushy surface, “Keith was almost named Yorak?”The whole scene was one to remember. Keith trapped between Lance, Krolia and the fire in front of them, arms crossed as he angrily pouted at being laughed at. (Still, he couldn’t hide the soft blush on his cheeks and the way his eyes kept shooting to Lance when the boy was too occupied with laughing his ass off.) Krolia looking extremely pleased with embarrassing her son and making said son’s crush laugh at the poor boy like that. And finally Lance, completely cracking up at Keith’s expense because of a name he’d almost gotten.“Keith, buddy,” Lance said as he clapped his hand on Keith’s shoulder. Shiro had to give it to Keith; he didn’t gasp like a lovestruck teenager like when they’d just gotten comfortable around each other. “You bet your ass I’m only calling you Yorak now.”Season 7 was way too heterosexual, so here's insecure Lance confiding in Shiro about liking boys. (Or, one in particular.)





	i think i like a boy

**Author's Note:**

> Heyhey my dudes! I pooped this thing out in a few hours right after I watched season 7 with my friends and... idek anymore. Like, plotwise it was good? The battles made sense and I liked the Garrison flashbacks (though the last few episodes were too much robots) but relationship-wise... it was fucked up man. I mean, did 3/4 of our gay rep really have to die? 
> 
> Anyways, this is the scene I think everyone (I did anyway) wanted to see, so here it is: Lance coming out to Shiro and being all cute and insecure.
> 
> I had lots of fun writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it <3

When one travels inside a flying, robotic black lion as a backseat passenger in the middle of space more infinite than you could’ve imagined, time seems to cease to exist, Shiro quickly found out. It turned out, traveling through wormholes, or even the three month journey to Kerberos could’ve never even begin to teach him about the sheer infinity of the thing called ‘space.’ It made Shiro think, wonder, and if he wasn’t locked into the too-small cockpit of the Black Lion with one alien and a half alien, he was sure he would’ve lost his mind.

But as it was, nine people (aliens and humans alike), four mice, a magical space wolf and a Kaltenecker were perfectly capable of keeping him sane. Annoying him, they were good at too. There were only so many loops of Coran’s Altean alphabet-song he (and the other Paladins except for Romelle who belted it out alongside the old Altean) could manage before he went crazy.

That was why, about three vargas ago, the team had decided that it was a good time to seek a deserted moon and rest for a few vargas with solid ground beneath their feet. It was a good idea, Shiro believed, as he, Keith, Krolia and Pidge had been about ready to tear their hairs out at the inescapable singing of the Alteans and Lance and Hunk.

After the umpteenth row of _‘Exus, plexus, ceedus, flee, jaydus, nacto pledum, ree’_ the five proceeded to belt out, Shiro had slammed his hand down on the comm button on his helmet and _demanded_ they got out of the lions. Keith had smirked at him, even though Shiro knew he was just as annoyed - if not more so - but he just liked to see the always-collected leader figure Shiro was supposed to be, completely lose it. He could even find the smallest trace of a grin on Krolia’s face.

And now, two vargas of seeking a safe spot to land (free of any singing, Shiro had assured) the five Paladins, gay war hero, three Alteans, Galra woman, cow, wolf, and mice were all pleasantly seated around a makeshift fire Keith and Krolia had provided. Shiro’s thoughts had been drifting somewhere between a warm bath and the soft sheets of an _actual_ bed, when he heard the loud, joyful laughter of their Red Paladin.

The sound brought a smile to his face, Lance sounded noticeably less stressed and worried ever since the whole team was back together and Lotor was defeated. Of course, the situation was far from ideal but, they were going _home_. After… Shiro wasn’t sure how long, but it had been a long time since he’d seen any Earth clouds, it had been a long time since he’d seen those familiar walls of the Garrison, since he’d last seen…

Yeah, so. Lance was happy again, that was the most important thing right now.

But Shiro couldn’t pretend like he didn’t see the looks his pseudo brother shot at the eccentric blue-eyed boy. These looks Lance had - unknowingly - been on the receiving end of ever since the days at the Garrison. If only Keith knew that Lance shot looks _just like it_ right back. It was, quite honestly, tiring to watch the two teenagers turn and spin around each other even after a time as long as it had been. But, arguably, there wasn’t any room for romance when one was in midst of a space war.

That was really the only reason why Shiro didn’t just go up to the two and yell at them to get their shit together. That, and he wasn’t too fond of cursing in front of a bunch of kids.

“Oh my god, _shut up_ ,” Lance was screeching, tears of laughter rolling down his cheeks as he clutched his knees to keep his body from crashing to the moon’s mushy surface, “Keith was almost named _Yorak_?”

Krolia, who sat on the other side of Keith,  who looked mildly offended of being told to ‘shut up,’ nodded with a shiteating grin on her face. “Yes. He was, but his father thought Keith was a more suiting name.” She reached up a hand to ruffle her son’s hair, but Keith moved out of the way swiftly. “I couldn’t help but agree.”

Lance broke down again, hiccups leaving his lips as his chest rose and fell sporadically.

The whole scene was one to remember. Keith trapped between Lance, Krolia and the fire in front of them, arms crossed as he angrily pouted at being laughed at. (Still, he couldn’t hide the soft blush on his cheeks and the way his eyes kept shooting to Lance when the boy was too occupied with laughing his ass off.) Krolia looking extremely pleased with embarrassing her son and making said son’s crush laugh at the poor boy like that. And finally Lance, completely cracking up at Keith’s expense because of a name he’d _almost_ gotten.

“Keith, buddy,” Lance said as he clapped his hand on Keith’s shoulder. Shiro had to give it to Keith; he didn’t gasp like a lovestruck teenager like when the two had just gotten comfortable around each other. “You bet your _ass_ I’m only calling you Yorak now.”

This is where Shiro got in. “ _Language_ , Lance.” But even he couldn’t hide the grin he was sporting. What could he say? He loved seeing the younger kid being punched down a notch by his rival (read: longtime crush).

Lance barely spared Shiro a glance as he went back to taunting Keith by ending or beginning every sentence towards the boy with _‘Yorak.’_ It was hilarious, really. Especially when Keith finally snapped and produced a mild glare (for Keith standards) that was pointed at Lance as he yelled at everyone to ‘ _shut the fuck up.’_ But Shiro could see that this boy had missed their weird space family, and he was inclined to walk to him and rub his already-messy hair as he held him in a headlock. The kid may have been twenty-one now, but Shiro was still his older brother.

When Lance’s laughter finally calmed down (safe for the occasional snicker that he let out when he unnecessarily called Keith _‘Yorak’_ again) and Keith had opted for rolling his eyes and huffing annoyedly, they’d fallen in a comfortable conversation. The fire crackled softly, lighting everything up with an almost magical orange glow, and making for nice background noise. Coran was telling some story no one really knew was real or made up, and everyone was snickering along with him or giving the occasional comment.

It was nice. Shiro had missed this. This relaxed dynamic that had been rare ever since Keith left them for the Blade. Shiro’s gaze traveled across the fire to find his baby brother’s. He watched as Lance held out a piece of weird plant Hunk had managed to make edible to Keith. The boy blushed and muttered a soft thanks that was lost over the sound of burning wood as he accepted the offer. Shiro couldn’t help the fond gaze his look turned into at the sight if this young love.

Jeez. He was making himself sound like an old man, wasn’t he? He blamed it on the hair.

The air was relaxed, everyone’s spirits were light from being on their way home and conversations flowed naturally. Shiro sat back and enjoyed the atmosphere. He listened to Hunk’s stories about cooking with his mom and dad, watching the young man’s eyes turn dreamy and smile turn a little softer. He laughed along with Lance’s stories of silly (and mildly illegal) things he and his siblings had done, noting the way the boy’s smile got wider and he got just a bit more enthusiastic when he noticed his audience enjoying their shenanigans. His own smile turned a bit softer when Pidge told about projects she and her brother and father would start against her mother’s advice in, having heard about those (usually extreme) projects from both Sam and Matt with equal as enthusiastic looks on their faces. And he watched Keith’s laugh and smile along with the rest of them, just a bit softer and more to himself. One could question if he was really enjoying it if he had such a subtle reaction where the rest of them were screaming out. But Shiro knew from the way his hands were folded almost delicately in his lap and his shoulders were relaxed and open, that he was enjoying this just as much as the rest of them, just in his own way.

He’d known Keith ever since he helped him enrol into the Garrison and became some sort of mentor figure/guardian for the orphaned boy, protecting him from bullies and his own temper. It was amazing to see the angry boy he’d met all those years ago, having evolved into this (semi) mature young man, who knew what he was doing and didn’t throw fists with anything that pissed him off. It brought a smile to Shiro’s face.

But of course, after quintants of flying in the five lions with only small breaks where they’d sleep in the cockpits, the nine of them decided to go to sleep not too long after the last bite had been swallowed.

Shiro noted Keith  and Lance settle down close to each other (far closer than was really necessary with the giant amounts of mushy - but somehow dry? -  ground they could splay themselves out over). He turned to lay on his back, only a few feet away from them, and kept his eyes opened as he listened to their soft whispers and watched the stars.

Pidge’s soft snores (and Coran’s louder ones) soon filled the air, and soft breathing coming from Hunk and Romelle indicated the four to have fallen asleep. Shiro wouldn’t be surprised if Krolia didn’t sleep at all, and Allura’s mind was probably just as restless as Shiro’s own - having found her strolling around the castle late at night more than once. Keith and Lance continued their hushed conversations, soft lisps filling the air alongside the crackles of the slowly dying fire.

It wasn’t long before Allura found her peace of mind and the conversation next to Shiro died down. Convinced that both boys had fallen asleep, Shiro turned around to face them, only to find Lance staring up into the night’s sky. One hand was bunching the soft material of the Altean sleeping bag close to his chest, while the other held Keith’s. The dark-haired boy had fallen asleep, facing Lance and the most adorable relaxed look on his face as soft breaths of air escaped his slightly parted lips.

Shiro watched (feeling like he was intruding on some intimate moment) as Lance turned to his side and brushed Keith’s bangs out of his eyes, thumb lingering on the boy’s bottom lip before he slipped his hand out of the Black Paladin’s hold carefully and sat up. The boy hugged his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, letting his head fall back to look up at the stars.

He apparently hadn’t noticed Shiro’s watchful eyes as he gently stroked the top of Keith’s head, fingers slipping into the thick, dark strands every so often in motions Shiro himself had done countless times when Keith’s nights were plagued with nightmares of faceless mothers and dead fathers. It warmed his heart in a way nothing had in a very long time.

But Lance’s peaceful gaze didn’t last as it quickly turned pained. His head turned down to watch Keith’s sleeping form, and he pulled his hand back and cradled it to his chest carefully. Shiro frowned as Lance’s face pulled together and his fists clenched.

Slowly, careful to wake any of the other campers, Shiro sat up. He bit his lips, wondering if it was his place to say anything to the younger boy. He looked around the fire and saw the others were sound asleep. Safe for Krolia, who was silently watching him from across the fire. If he hadn’t known any better, he’d think she was urging him to approach the clearly distressed boy next to him.

Shiro rose to his feet and walked closer to Lance. He gently set his hand down onto the boy’s shoulder. “Hey, Lance, are you okay?” It was his wise, older-person’s voice, that he’d created for Keith at the time, but found was perfect for dealing with sad, distressed teenagers.

“Huh?” Lance looked up, eyes looking far too spooked for someone who was supposed to be sleeping. “Oh, yeah, man. I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.” He attempted for a smile, but it came out a bit pathetic.

Shiro frowned. “You know you can talk about anything with me, right?”

Lance nodded, but didn’t say anything. He looked down at the ground and hugged his knees a bit closer. The two were silent for a moment, both staring into what was left of the fire.

It was only after a few minutes that Lance broke the silence again. “Shiro?” He was looking up at the older man with such scared eyes. Something must’ve really been bothering him. “Can we… Can we talk?”

Shiro nodded, looking up from the fire and he produced a small smile. “Of course we can talk.”

Slowly, Lance rose from his thin inflatable mattress and wrapping his blanket closer around himself. He waited for Shiro to follow him and walked back to one of the yellow and fuzzy rocks they’d sat upon during dinner. They both sat, enjoying the silence of the night in the low light of the fire. Shiro patiently waited for Lance to start talking.

“So, I’ve been.” Lance hesitated, biting his lip and staring into the fire a bit too aggressively. “I’ve been thinking about… myself, actually.”

Shiro nodded and hummed softly to let Lance know that he was still listening. What could’ve been troubling the sweet boy enough to bring such and embarrassed flush and troubled look to take over the soft features?

“And um.” He looked down at his fumbling hands again.

When his eyes traveled up to meet Shiro’s, they were filled with so much insecurity and worry, that all Shiro wanted was to wrap him in his arms and make him forget everything that was troubling him. But he just kept silent and waited for Lance to continue. And when he found his nerve again, Lance started talking.

“And I realized that I might… you know, like boys.” He looked shocked that he’d actually said those words. But as Shiro continued to watch, he saw that insecurity turn into something that came a bit closer to confidence. “But, it’s weird because, I still like girls. A lot. I mean,” he chuckled and ran a frustrated hand through his hair, “shouldn’t I have to choose? Isn’t it like, one or the other?” He looked almost pleadingly at Shiro, but didn’t give the older man any time to answer. “And, anyway, people always said that love is between a man a woman and..." The boy hesitated, eyes flitting away from the fire to a point a few feet away.

Shiro didn’t have to follow his gaze to know that he was looking at Keith. “And Keith is not a woman.”

Lance flushed and cast his eyes downward again, muttering; “No.”

Shiro smiled. He could remember being thirteen again and having his first crush on one of his male classmates. Of course, he hadn’t said anything to the boy in question, too afraid of rejection and too unsure of his own feelings and if they were even ‘normal.’ But a good talk with his mother had teached him that it was okay to love whoever you wanted to love, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation. But Lance didn’t have a mother here to talk to, and had instead chose to confide in Shiro with his insecurities. It truly warmed the older man’s heart, and made him want to wrap the boy in soft blankets and tell him everything would be okay.

“And, my family’s great and all, but LGBT isn’t really popular back in Cuba, you know?” He looked up at Shiro with a small, sad smile before looking back at his hands. “I mean, my grandparents grew up when everyone was like, super homophobic and kinda taught that to my parents.” His fingers were carding through the soft, yellow fur of the rock-like thing they were sitting upon. “And my parents are amazing and would probably accept me as bisexual. But…”

“It’s still scary to come out,” Shiro finished for him.

Lance nodded, not looking up from his carding. “Yeah,” he breathed. “You know, if I get to come out to them _at all_.”

A heavy silence fell between them. The weight of their situation - stranded on a deserted moon somewhere in infinite space without any help and with robotic lions that weren’t as strong as they should be - dawned upon the two of them. And Shiro hated the fear that attacked his emotions because, he wanted this boy to go home to his family - _survive this horror road trip_  - and get to come out to his family. He wanted this boy to have a life on earth again, and not be stuck in space for the rest of eternity.

“I know it’s scary, Lance,” Shiro said as he placed his hand on the Red Paladin’s shoulder again. “ _I know_ , but they’re your family. They will love you no matter what.”

Lance looked up and his eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “You… know?”

Shiro squeezed the shoulder and smiled at Lance. “Yes, I do.” He pulled his arm back and placed his hands behind his back to lean on them. “I came out to my own parents when I was fourteen.”

Lance’s eyes widened and he sat up a bit straighter. “You… came out?”

“Yes, Lance,” Shiro said, smile widening. “I’m gay.”

The boy’s eyes were positively sparkling at this new revelation and he let out a relieved sigh. “Wow, I… wouldn’t have guessed that.” But at Shiro’s raised eyebrows he hurriedly added; “I- I mean,” he flushed bright red, “you’re don’t like… _seem_ gay.” Lance rubbed his arms embarrassedly.

Shiro chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t really present myself as a gay man because I think there are more important things to know about me than who I happen to fall in love with.” He examined Lance’s face as the boy listened. “I mean,” he continued, “it wasn’t exactly a secret.” He affectionately bumped his shoulder into Lance’s. “I was engaged to someone at the Garrison, you know.”

“You- you were?” Lance asked. “How did I not notice that?” He groaned soft enough to not wake anyone up.

Shiro laughed softly. “You probably didn’t know him. He teached the senior classes.”

Lance nodded. A comfortable silence settled upon them before Lance broke it again. “So… what happened to you two? If you don’t mind me asking. It’s pretty private.”

Shiro’s smile fell and he looked up at the stars. For a moment he was silent. _Adam_. The love of his life, whom he’d left on earth to go on a mission to Kerberos. He’d left his fiance on earth to chase his childhood dream, only to never return for the two years following. “I went to Kerberos,” was all he said, not taking his eyes off the stars. He silently hoped one of those specks of light was earth, and that Adam could see his speck of light from all the way there.

Lance didn’t respond, probably already understanding how their relationship must’ve ended if Shiro went away to space without him.

It was weird to be on a vast ground where there was no sound except for the fire and their own breathing. There was no wildlife, and no trees to produce a soft rustling. They continued to sit in the weir silence before Shiro slowly rose to his feet.

“I think it’s time we went to bed,” he said, looking down at Lance with a gentle smile. Lance nodded and stood up too. “You can always come to be if anything’s troubling you again.”

“Thanks, Shiro.” His smile was so sweet that Shiro vowed to himself to protect this kid and get him home safely. This boy didn’t deserve to die in a space war he had never chosen to be apart of.

So Shiro smiled, trying to portray all those emotions. “Any time.”

The two of them slowly made their way off the rock thingy and back into their own bed. Shiro listened to Lance shuffling a bit closer to Keith, and caught the small whine coming from the Black Paladin, followed by Lance’s soft shushing.

“Hey Lance?” Shiro whispered into the darkness. He could barely make out Lance’s back as the fire was almost dead. “If you ever hurt my brother, I will have to kill you.”

And with that, Shiro turned on his side and closed his eyes. Staying only barely awake to hear Lance take in a breath and shuffle away from Keith a bit.

Of course, Shiro was only joking. He trusted this kid and knew he only meant well with Keith. And, somehow, he was sure the two would find their way to each other. Even if the path wasn’t as smooth as they’d all hope it to be. But, whenever did anything go smooth when you were in the middle of a space war?

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought of this and if you too almost puked at Acxa's "I was looking for my own path, and it let me to you." Keith's too gay for that bullshit. 
> 
> My own bitterness aside, I hope you liked it! <33


End file.
